Devine Scripture

Genesis 7:17

What does Genesis 7:17 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 7:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 7:17 means

For forty days, the flood was upon the earth, during which the waters continually increased. This rising water lifted the ark, causing it to float "above the earth." This demonstrates the effectiveness of God's design: the ark was not meant to fight the waters but to ride upon them. The lifting of the ark separates Noah and his family from the destructive effects below, illustrating their miraculous preservation by God's provision. It marks the transition from judgment on land to judgment by water.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And for forty days the waters were over all the earth; and the waters were increased so that the ark was lifted up high over the earth.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And the deluge is forty days on the earth, and the waters multiply, and lift up the ark, and it is raised up from off the earth;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the flood was forty days upon the earth: and the waters increased, and lifted up the ark on high from the earth.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the flood was forty days on the earth. And the waters increased, and bore up the ark; and it was lifted up above the earth.

Context

This verse describes the immediate consequence of the forty-day rain, detailing the ark's initial response to the rising waters. It directly precedes the account of the waters' increasing prevalence and the covering of the mountains. This description of the ark being lifted marks the physical beginning of its journey and the unfolding of the global flood.

v.16And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him: and Jehovah shut him in.

v.17This passage

v.18And the waters prevailed, and increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Genesis 7:12

    And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

  • Genesis 7:4

    For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the ground.

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